


To Be the Protector

by katerleegrand



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Fluff, Gen, Gladio has some insecurities, Minor Mentions of Violence, Non-Graphic Violence, Protection, nothing too graphic though
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-17
Updated: 2020-07-17
Packaged: 2021-03-05 06:07:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 924
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25345933
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/katerleegrand/pseuds/katerleegrand
Summary: FFXV Brotherly Love Day 8: "I will protect you."Gladio realizes after the fall of Insomnia that he not only has to be the Shield to the future King, but that the others will need his protection, too. He has doubts about whether or not he is ready for this.
Relationships: Gladiolus Amicitia & Prompto Argentum & Noctis Lucis Caelum & Ignis Scientia, Gladiolus Amicitia/Prompto Argentum/Noctis Lucis Caelum/Ignis Scientia
Comments: 6
Kudos: 17
Collections: FFXV Brotherly Love Week





	To Be the Protector

**Author's Note:**

> Here's Day 8 for Brotherly Love week. Hope you enjoy!

“Imperials, above us!!” Prompto called out.

The other three men look towards the sky as an Imperial ship descends towards them. The four summon their weapons and prepare themselves for battle.

"Watch your backs,” Gladio says. “Don’t want any of you getting hurt.”

“Noted,” Ignis responds.

A large group of Magitek assassins jump from the ship and land in the grass nearby. Noctis attacks first, warping towards the closest assassin and impales it on his sword. He is quickly forced to dodge an incoming barrage of swords, and warps to a nearby rock.

Gladio narrows his eyes at the Prince’s recklessness, and quickly catches up to him, Ignis and Prompto right behind him.

“Noct! You need to be more careful!” he yells towards him. His shield quickly materializes as he blocks an incoming MT. He then summons his broadsword and brings it down onto its head.

The sounds of swords clashing, gunshots echoing, and the dying howls of MT’s filled the air of the Slough. Noctis warps towards another assassin and knocks it to the ground before Gladio brings his shield down full force, effectively decapitating it. He quickly scans the landscape looking for his next target, only for his eyes to widen at what he sees. An MT has knocked Ignis to the ground, and it raises one of its swords for a deadly blow. Gladio throws his broadsword at it with all of his might and knocks the thing off balance. Prompto finishes it off with an onslaught of bullets.

“You okay, Iggy?” Gladio calls out as he runs towards him.

“I’m alright, thank you Gladio.” Ignis accepts the hand Gladio offers and rises to his feet. He summons his daggers once again to take on the next enemy.

The fight rages on, MT’s continue to fall. A howl pierces the air, the battle seemingly caught the attention of a voretooth pack nearby.

‘ _Perfect…just what we need!_ ’ Gladio thinks.

Slicing at the last trooper, he turns his focus towards the incoming beasts. The pack surrounds them, herding them into a circle, effectively trapping them. Prompto lets a shot ring off, startling the animals and gives the others the distraction needed. Noctis calls forth a lance and warps towards the closest animal. Ignis lunges towards another, ice energy flowing from his daggers. Gladio follows suit and they quickly overtake the pack. A yelp calls his attention, and he looks over to one of the voretooth’s on top of Prompto, lunging at his neck. His gun is knocked out of his grip, leaving him helpless.

Gladio summons his shield and runs toward the two. He rams into the beast’s side, knocking it off of the other, and rolls over the top of it. He turns quickly and summons his sword to finish it off.

“Thanks for that,” Prompto says in a shaking voice. The Shield helps him up and responds gruffly,

“Don’t worry, just be more careful. You okay?”

“Yeah, think so…” the blond responds quietly, still trembling slightly.

Gladio hums and nods his head. He turns towards the other two as Noctis finishes off the last beast. He and Ignis jog back over towards them.

“You guys okay?” Gladio asks them.

“Well, none the worse for wear.”

The battle seemed to have worn them all out. Noctis stretches his arms above his head and yawns loudly, “I’m beat…I could fall asleep standing up.”

Looking towards the sky, Ignis hums in agreement.

“It is getting quite late in the day. We’d best make for camp before the sun sets. I do believe there’s a haven not too far from here.”

***

The sounds of the crackling campfire intertwine with Ignis’s humming near the stove and the occasional laughter coming from the tent. Gladio sits in his chair with a book open on his lap, though none of the words on the page register. His thoughts wander elsewhere, anywhere from today’s battle, to their current journey, to the future. The road had been long and rough, both physically and mentally. Even after defeating Gilgamesh, his mind still flashes the occasional doubting thought. He still worries from time-to-time. Could he protect them all? It was in his blood, the very fabric of his being, to protect Noctis. He had learned that at a very early age, predetermined to be the Protector. The last words his father spoke to him echoed in his mind:

‘ _Protect them…my son. Do your duty…not only to the crown…but to your friends…_ ’

Now though…it’s so much more. Now…Ignis and Prompto and Noctis… Could he really protect all of them? No one knows what lies ahead of them…can he really do this…?

Gladio shifts in his chair, turning back to look towards the tent. Noctis and Prompto are lying next to each other on their stomachs, watching videos on one of their phones. Occasionally they would break out into fits of laughter at whatever they were watching, and it made Gladio smile. He turned back to look over at Ignis, lost in his own world. His brow furrows in concentration as he works on this evening’s meal, ever so delicate in detail. His heart swells.

The next realization Gladio has hits him like a truck. No…it doesn’t matter whether he can or can’t do this…he realizes that it is not an option. He has to protect them, all of them. He must be there for them. Thinking back on what his father told him, the words make brand his heart.

‘ _I **will** protect them…_’

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you all enjoyed this fic! I hope you all are having a good morning, day, night wherever you are!
> 
> Also, follow me on Twitter @katerleegrand for more FFXV content and pictures of my cats! :D


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